


Last Day

by yooroomi



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Break Up, Enemies to Lovers, Established Relationship, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, High School, Hugs, I Love You, Insecurity, Love, Love Confessions, Lovers to Friends, Mental Breakdown, Post-Break Up, Reader-Insert, Self-Esteem Issues, Song: Last Day (BTOB), Third Gym (Haikyuu!!), Tsukishima Kei is Bad at Feelings, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:08:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26355487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yooroomi/pseuds/yooroomi
Summary: In which Tsukishima Kei spends his Sunday reminiscing about the only one who could truly understand him—the same person he let go of three years ago.
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei/Reader
Comments: 6
Kudos: 56





	Last Day

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on my tumblr acc @shinrurie for more fics and hcs! i'll only crosspost the fics here on ao3, the hcs will stay on tumblr. anyway, this fic is based on btob's song called last day so give it a listen! i hope you guys enjoy this, i worked really hard on this and i think this is the longest oneshot i've made.

Warm sunlight poured into the peaceful bedroom. The gradual change in temperature stirred Tsukishima Kei from his slumber. He slowly opened his eyes, kicking aside the covers that wrapped around him like a cocoon.

It was Sunday. 

The blond reached out his arm to the spot beside him. Just like the previous Sundays, the area was empty. He heaved a sigh. 

How come he still managed to forget the simple fact that she wasn't there anymore? _That he would never wake up to her sleeping face ever again?_

The weekends that used to be filled with morning coffee and laughter had passed. No matter what Tsukishima did or how hard he prayed, those days weren’t going to come back. He had taken the comfort his former lover brought for granted, and by the time he knew it, the mornings where he woke up to an empty bed started.

Tsukishima sat up, resting his back against his bed’s headboard. Even after three years, he kept checking the other side of the bed. The familiar warmth that he longed for was there, despite its source having long left his side.

(y/f/n). The woman was both as breathtaking and as fleeting as a rainbow.

Tsukishima Kei, on the other hand, was a child once impressed by the arch of colors. He’d take his time to stare at her beauty—to admire the little details that made her (y/n). Still, as time passed, he found himself only glancing at her once in a while. It didn't register in his mind that he had begun ignoring her. The next time he tried to look at (y/n), she had disappeared and he was left to grieve over his loss.

If only he could admire her for a moment longer.

The vibration of his phone snapped Tsukishima out of his thoughts. His mood worsened as soon as he saw that someone had sent him a message. Who on earth would message him so early in the morning?

After reading the subject of the message, Tsukishima felt his blood run cold. The hand holding his phone began to grow numb. 

“Damn it.”

**─────────────────────**

_“Alright baby I’m so lonely_ _  
_ _The things that I wanna say is_ _  
_ _I just wanna tell you about us”_

**─────────────────────**

“Hey, you.” 

Sixteen-year-old Tsukishima Kei turned his head in the direction of the voice. His apathetic expression immediately morphed into one of irritation when he saw the all-too-familiar face belonging to (y/f/n).

Did she really have to torture him with her presence even after class hours?

After a few moments of thinking, he came to a decision that he wouldn’t want to waste his time with her. What’s more, volleyball practice was about to start. Coach Ukai wouldn’t let him hear the end of it if he ended up being late.

An audible gasp came from (y/n) as Tsukishima continued his stride towards the gym. “Hey, you! Are you deaf or something?!”

Was this girl dense or plain stupid? Couldn’t she take the hint that he didn’t want to talk to her?

“You rude beanpole! Stop right there and talk to me!”

Tsukishima could feel his grip tighten on the straps of his bag. He came to a stop and turned around, shooting (y/n) a glare. Much to his displeasure, she didn’t seem to be affected by it.

“Oh? You’re mad now?” Her condescending tone was enough to make his annoyance go over the roof. “Let’s keep it short. Don’t be a coward. Stop thinking about what-ifs. Just dive right into volleyball and work for that moment you never knew you wanted.”

To say that Tsukishima was surprised would be an understatement. Unable to muster a reply, he could only stare at (y/n)’s retreating figure. How could someone who wasn’t in the volleyball club comment on his performance? What did she even know about him?

For the rest of the practice, he found himself in a daze. (y/n) was just his classmate who sat behind him. There was nothing special about her. He neither found her pretty nor smart. In short, he didn’t like her that much. The only thing that stood out about her was the fact that she was always staring at him.

_‘Does she have a crush on me?’_

This thought was immediately thrown out of the window. Tsukishima was more than certain that their feelings of dislike were mutual. Other people would at least try to tolerate his personality, but (y/n)—she had no problem giving him the same annoyance she received from him.

“Oi, Tsukishima! Quit daydreaming!”

Tanaka was more than ready to spike a ball in his direction. Fortunately for Tsukishima, Daichi came just in time to stop him. The said captain walked towards the blond before resting a hand on his shoulder. In spite of the reassuring smile on Daichi’s face, Tsukishima didn’t feel relaxed at all.

“Is there something wrong?”

“No,” he answered honestly. To him, (y/n) wasn’t important enough to be considered a problem.

“Are you sure?” Daichi asked again.

Tsukishima remained silent.

Upon noticing the captain talking to the middle blocker, the other members stopped what they were doing. Both Hinata and Kageyama furrowed their eyebrows. A struggling Tsukishima must’ve been quite a sight.

“Oh! I know why Tsukishima’s so moody!”

Hinata’s outburst piqued the curiosity of the whole gym. Daichi averted his attention from Tsukishima to Hinata, prompting him to continue.

“It’s because of (y/n)! I saw her telling him off on my way to the gym!”

The human tangerine immediately cowered at the intensity of Tsukishima’s glare. His animosity was a combination of an irritated Daichi and a displeased Kageyama.

“(y/n)?” Daichi raised an eyebrow at the bespectacled teen.

The second year duo was quick to pick up on the sound of a girl’s name. Noya and Tanaka rushed to Tsukishima’s side, teasing grins plastered on their faces. Other than Kageyama, who merely sent him a smirk, they were the ones who seemed genuinely amused at the whole situation.

“I never knew this asshole could be told off by a girl!”

“Tsukishima’s going soft now, eh?”

“Damn, I bet my lunch money for a week that she’ll become his girlfriend!” Tanaka slung his arm around Tsukishima’s neck. “You better treat her good, yeah?”

“Yeah, dude! If you waste your opportunity with a girl, I’ll make sure to beat some sense into you!” Despite his intimidating choice of words, Nishinoya had the gall to give Tsukishima a thumbs-up. 

Tsukishima could only scowl. _Yeah right, as if he’ll even date someone like (y/n)._

**❄❄❄**

“You were so cool back there.”

The said girl leaned against the wall facing the door to the boys’ bathroom. Even as people walked through the hallway of Sendai Gymnasium, her attention was fixated on a frustrated Tsukishima.

“What are you doing here?” Surprise took over the blond’s features. “Also, for once, you actually have something nice to say.”

His response made (y/n) scrunch her nose in disgust. “Ew, coming from you of all people.” A grin broke out on her face when Tsukishima glared at her. “Just joking! Or not! But really, you were so cool back then! Congrats, four-eyes.”

Tsukishima snickered. “Cool? I only managed to block one spike from Ushijima. That wasn’t cool at all.”

“Woah, woah.” (y/n) furrowed her eyebrows as she approached her classmate. “Only one spike? This is Ushijima Wakatoshi you’re talking about. Isn’t this already a feat considering that it’s coming from someone who only just started to take volleyball seriously?”

“I could’ve blocked more.” Tsukishima winced in pain. Did (y/n) just flick him on the forehead? “What was that for?”

With her arms akimbo, (y/n) huffed. “Never knew someone who comes off so arrogant would have such low self-esteem. Anyway, think of it like this: one of Japan’s top three aces is only a stepping stone for you.” The grin on her face returned and this time, it was wider. “You’ll keep improving, don’t you think so?”

For the first time since they met, (y/n)’s words actually made sense.

“Point taken,” he replied. “Why are you telling me all this, anyway? Don’t you hate my guts?” The question he had wanted to ask the most finally left his lips.

(y/n) seemed shocked at this. “But I don’t remember telling you I hate you?”

Tsukishima narrowed his eyes. Was she being serious? “Don’t you remember insulting me outside the gym?”

The blonde couldn’t even fathom how (y/n) was more confused than he was. “But those weren’t just pure insults? Those were words of advice from a concerned citizen.” To be honest, Tsukishima was 101% certain that the scene back outside the gym was her picking a fight with him.

“Advice? A concerned citizen?” His head was beginning to ache. “You burn holes into my back every single day and now you say you’re concerned for me?”

Tilting her head to the side, (y/n) crossed her arms. “That’s more or less the reason why I noticed your performance. I suppose it was weird that I kept staring at you. I just couldn’t help it, you know, you’re pretty attractive.”

“What?” Now, Tsukishima no longer had any hopes for a normal conversation.

“What? You didn’t know I had a crush on you? Wasn’t it obvious?”

_Oh my god._

Tsukishima rested his palm against his forehead. This was the second time that (y/n) managed to corner him into a loss for words. “You really had a crush on me?”

“ _Have_. I still do, duh.”

Oh no. Did he just think that dating (y/n) wasn’t a bad idea? Was he actually okay with becoming her boyfriend? Of kissing her after a date? Or hugging her when they saw each other at school?

He must be going crazy.

He did _not_ just pull the girl he hated the most into a hug.

**─────────────────────**

_“No more texts no more fights_ _  
_ _No more late phone calls at night_ _  
_ _Today’s the last day that we’ll ever be together”_

**─────────────────────**

Although (y/n) was the only person who could put up with his personality, that didn’t mean that she had unlimited patience. 

The first time the couple fought was over something simple. It was also the first time Tsukishima saw her confident demeanor shatter. Why hadn’t he noticed it back then, that he was the reason the shine in her eyes had begun to diminish? 

_“Kei, we need to talk.”_

Tsukishima dropped the phone in his hand. For all the days they could’ve fought, it just had to be on Christmas Eve—the day his adamant mother had invited her to dinner. How could he tell her that he’d probably be a single man tomorrow?

“Kei! Stop murking in your room! You best pick up (y/n) now, okay?”

Unfortunately for him, he had no time to reply. His mother had shoved him out of the house with only a coat and a scarf.

For sure, Tsukishima wouldn't be able to go back into his house if (y/n) wasn't with him. Was this the world's way of telling him to get himself together?

_“(y/n), I'm on my way to your house.”_ And send. So much for being the one who didn't want to talk.

Bloodshot eyes and tear-stained cheeks. For the few months the couple had dated, this was the first time Tsukishima saw a haggard (y/n). Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of her boyfriend outside her house.

“K-Kei? What are you doing here?” The dinosaur pajamas she wore almost made Tsukishima chuckle. “I thought you didn't want to talk?”

Her voice was hoarse. She had probably spent hours crying. Tsukishima welcomed himself inside her home, opening the gate and approaching (y/n). To be completely honest, he wasn't sure what to do. Everyone knew Tsukishima Kei wasn't a man for apologies. Naturally, (y/n) knew this best.

It was easy to say both of them had been taken by surprise when Tsukishima wrapped his green scarf around (y/n)’s neck. The girl’s cheeks flushed red, her eyes teary either from the cold or from him. Or maybe both?

His calloused hands cupped her face, rough thumbs wiping the stray tears away. (y/n) refused to meet his eyes and this simple fact made his chest ache. Without a doubt, Tsukishima had screwed up—and to think that he wasn't willing to talk things out with her earlier.

What a foolish move when he couldn't even bear to see her cry.

“I'm sorry, I was wrong. Please, stop crying.” His words, though barely a whisper, repeated themselves in (y/n)'s mind for the rest of the night.

Once they arrived at his home, Mrs. Tsukishima never mentioned anything about (y/n)'s appearance. She chose to focus on the smile gracing her face, and was more than delighted to see that she wasn’t the only one smiling. For sure, her second son had truly fallen in love.

That same night, Tsukishima had decided that a crying (y/n) was the last thing he wanted to see. He had decided that even though he wasn't the best, he'd become the best for her. 

_“I love you. Christmas actually feels like a celebration with you.”_

His last message to her was nothing less of cringe-worthy, yet his lover thought otherwise. With the butterflies that wreaked havoc in her stomach, anything from Tsukishima would succeed in making her squeal.

_“I love you too, sorry again for taking the last slice of the strawberry shortcake. I'll make sure to share it with you next time.”_

**❄️❄️❄️**

_“Kei, you shouldn’t be staying up so late when you have a game tomorrow.”_

The bespectacled teen closed his eyes, his phone pressed against his ear. It was the night before their first day at the Spring Interhigh. Luckily for him, the other members of the volleyball club were already fast asleep. He’d be the same if it wasn’t for his yearning to hear (y/n)’s voice. 

“...Wanted to hear your voice. It soothes me.” 

Late night talks really do make you say crazy things. 

_“Is that so? I’ll cheer for you tomorrow then. Your brother would be so jealous.”_ The peals of laughter coming from the other side of the line etched a tired smile on Tsukishima’s face. _“But seriously, you should sleep.”_

“But you haven’t said it yet,” he mumbled.

_“Said what?”_

“That you love me. You always tell me you love me before I leave.” The other side of the line went silent. For a sleepy Tsukishima, the silence was welcoming. It didn’t take that much time to lull him to sleep, this was something (y/n) was aware of.

After all, he hadn’t said anything else. Tsukishima Kei was the type to pester his lover for answers.

Once again, a chuckle escaped the (y/n)’s lips. _“You noticed. Of course you’d notice. I love you, Kei. Good night.”_

Just like how she was the one to cheer for him, (y/n) was also the one who’d wipe away his tears. Tsukishima rarely cried, much less in front of someone else; however, with (y/n), it was different. No words were needed to be spoken, her warmth was enough to convey every sweet little nothing she’d whisper to him.

All that was said was a simple comment of, “It’s raining again.”

Tsukishima would nod his head, burying his face further into her neck. Sometimes he’d actually wonder if he was crushing her. 

“I’m not that weak. How low do you think of me?” The mischievous glint in his lover’s eyes was enough to make him laugh. “See? You laughed just now.”

“Oh yes, Ms. (l/n), you sure have your ways.”

“That I do.”

Naturally, when Karasuno lost to Kamomedai, she was there. Whenever he needed her most, she was always there. But him? Tsukishima couldn't say that he had done the same for her. It wasn’t odd for him to ask one day:

“Do you even need me?”

The lack of a response was enough to crush not only his heart, but also his six-year relationship with the girl he loved the most.

No apologies were spoken that time. Both of them had assumed that they had moved on from that incident, just like the mature adults they were; however, there wasn't a time more when the two of them wanted to become teenagers again.

Because, just like children, they'll be able to say sorry and patch up their wounds. If they could've just said sorry, maybe their hearts wouldn’t have been left to freeze in the winter cold.

The warmth that spread in his heart every time he saw (y/n) died a little more each day. Tsukishima felt tired, both physically and mentally. Being a university student and a V-league player wasn’t easy, even for him.

_“Kei, where are you?”_

Splayed across the couch in his condominium’s living room, Tsukishima stared long and hard at the message from (y/n). It was currently 3 o'clock, yet they were supposed to meet at 1. The temperature outside was chilling, and the last thing he wanted to do was head out for a date.

(y/n) should’ve been inside a warm café by now, right?

“(y/n)?” His eyebrows furrowed at the sound of chattering teeth. “Where are you?”

Huffs came from the other side of the line. It took (y/n) a few moments to muster out an, _“O-Outside. I t-thought you w-were going to ar-rive soon.”_

Tsukishima bit the bottom of his lip. Was she actually serious? “Warm yourself up. I can’t go there right now. We’re in the middle of practice.” Despite his television being at full volume, he had the nerve to tell his lover a lie.

_“P-Practice? But I-I thought you w-were on a d-day off today?”_ (y/n)’s voice shook. _“You told m-me that you would s-spend this day with me, K-Kei.”_

A sigh of exasperation came from Tsukishima. Just when he was about to reply, (y/n) dropped the call. In spite of being in his perfectly warm condo, his hands felt numb with the cold. 

Although the sudden call drop was mildly concerning, (y/n) never lashed out at him. He was confident that she wasn’t angry. After all, it was an acknowledged fact that only (y/f/n) could put up with Tsukishima Kei.

_Plus, it wasn’t as if this was the first time he ditched her._

**─────────────────────**

_“The love words_ _  
_ _I heard everyday_ _  
_ _The days when we fought_ _  
_ _Tomorrow everything will be gone”_

**─────────────────────**

“Kei, aren’t you tired of this?”

Dinner at a high class restaurant, the beautiful sky painted with fireworks, and of course, a lover of six years sitting across the table. One would think this would be the perfect date. First year (y/n) would think so as well, considering that her relationship wasn’t on the verge of falling apart.

Tsukishima merely ignored her statement, taking a bite of the strawberry shortcake in front of him.

He knew what was coming. No woman would ever tolerate years of cold winters and empty summers. Tsukishima Kei was nowhere near being the best for (y/f/n). In fact, he was well aware that he was the worst. Over time, their relationship had morphed into a noose that seemed to get tighter with each passing day.

“Kei, I think it’s time we let each other go.” This time, (y/n)’s voice was firm. Tsukishima immediately looked up from his cake with wide eyes. There it was. The trace of the confident, headstrong woman he fell in love with. “I’ve had enough. We’ve had enough. It’s time to end this.”

“(y/n)...” Her name was the only thing capable of leaving his lips. Flames of determination flickered in the woman’s eyes. 

_She was ready to leave him._

What else could he do but nod his head in response?

“I...” Tsukishima spoke. “I have a preposition.”

**❄❄❄**

Once again, it was Christmas Eve. Mrs. Tsukishima had invited the two of them to dinner, but a single phone call with her son was enough to change her decision. Perhaps something in Tsukishima's voice hinted that this day was their last, and that he wanted to savor it.

“Kei! You’re already here!”

Tsukishima couldn’t help but gape at his lover’s attire. The all-too-familiar scarf that was wrapped around her neck surprised him. By the way (y/n)’s lips curled into a smile, his reaction must’ve been satisfying. 

“Surprised? I took care of it, of course. Don’t you feel touched?” She spun around in a circle, letting the tails of the fabric flow after her.

A chuckle left Tsukishima’s lips. “I do. I’m surprised you still kept it with you.” (y/n)’s smile only urged him to continue talking. “I actually thought you lost it, considering how much of a klutz you are.”

The smile on (y/n)’s face disappeared just as fast as it came. “Of course you had to say something to ruin the mood.”

“You got into a relationship with me without knowing about how an absolute asshole I am?” A smirk made its way to Tsukishima’s face when he saw (y/n) pout. “Stop pouting. You know it’s never going to work on me.”

“Never going to work? It worked countless times, thank you very much!” She crossed her arms. “Are we going to stay here the whole day? I’m quite a busy person, Tsukishima-san.”

Tsukishima reached out his hand. “Then let’s go, (l/n)-san.”

**❄❄❄**

Dinosaurs. Other than Yamaguchi and his family, Tsukishima never opened up to anyone else about his love for them. He originally never intended to mention it to (y/n), but it turned out that she already knew about them.

“How did you know?” A mixture of relief and suspicion was shown in his expression. High school student Tsukishima stared at his lover, who looked at him as if what he was asking was absurd. 

“You weren’t that discreet about it. I saw a dinosaur keychain hanging off your bag sometimes.”

His cheeks were flushed with embarrassment for the rest of their date, much to (y/n)’s amusement. Ever since then, he had come to realize that his lover’s staring sessions with him before they started dating were actually effective. She knew how to discern between his usual (foul) attitude and the bits of sincere sweetness he showed her.

(y/n) was also aware how much he enjoyed being doted on. Well, at least that was the case with her.

“Surprise!” Although muffled, (y/n)’s voice kept its lively tone. “Mr. Dinosaur and (y/f/n) are here to wish Tsukishima Kei a happy birthday!” To Tsukishima, it seemed like the dinosaur was the only one greeting him. With how (y/n) was carrying it, Mr. Dinosaur completely covered her face.

Ridiculous yet flattering. (y/n) was truly one of a kind. He couldn’t help but burst into a fit of laughter, causing (y/n) to drop his gift to the ground. She stared at her lover as flecks of crimson dusted her cheeks. 

The birthday boy himself wasn’t even aware of this. He continued laughing despite the fact that someone was there to witness a vulnerable side of him. Why hadn’t he stopped and thought then, that this was the type of comfort only (y/n) could bring him?

“You look the cutest when you’re smiling, Kei.” As soon as the words left her mouth, Tsukishima stopped laughing. It was his turn to stare at (y/n) with his eyes wide in surprise. No sane person would actually compliment his appearance to his face.

“What did you say?”

(y/n) grinned. “You look cute, duh. Shocked much?”

“And you’re an idiot,” he retorted. Offense flashed through (y/n)’s face, quickly being replaced with embarrassment when Tsukishima took her hand. “Let’s go, it’s starting to get cold.”

For his birthday, his mother had baked him a whole strawberry shortcake. On the other hand, Akiteru had his gift for him delivered since he couldn’t come home. Tsukishima Kei spent his evening with the two women he loved the most (though they could spare him from the multiple attempts at taking a picture to post on social media).

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday happy birthday...”

The bespectacled teenager blew out his candle.

“Happy birthday, Kei!”

The evening was nothing more than joyous, though the weather begged to differ. Dark clouds covered the moon and the stars; the brewing storm prevented (y/n) from going home. Mrs. Tsukishima wasn’t bothered by this at all and immediately told her to stay for the night. Her son, on the other hand, was as delighted as he was nervous.

He had never slept next to (y/n) before. Was she as warm as she had let him feel during their late night calls? While he attempted to mask his anxiety with his snarky comments, he led (y/n) to his room.

“If I find out you snore, I’m throwing you to the other room.” (y/n) huffed at his remark. “What? Do you think I’ll let you sleep on my bed?”

“Duh! I was looking forward to sleeping together!”

“What?” Tsukishima raised an eyebrow at her. “Do you mean—”

Heat flooded his lover’s cheeks. Seeing her so flustered almost made Tsukishima smirk. “—No, I don’t mean that! Don’t even talk about that!” (y/n) huffed before letting herself fall on Tsukishima’s bed. “No wonder you keep sleeping. Your bed’s really comfy.”

A chuckle escaped his lips. “Yeah, but I’m sure that wouldn't be the case if you were a bed hogger.”

“I am not a bed hogger!”

Unfortunately for Tsukishima, she was. Even as his eyes bore holes on the crown of her head, (y/n) didn’t budge. At the very least, she didn’t snore. If she did, then he wouldn’t hesitate to wake her up.

Seconds turned into minutes yet Tsukishima still couldn't bring himself to sleep. His position wasn't that uncomfortable, despite (y/n) occupying more than half of the bed. He just couldn’t close his eyes. Perhaps something inside him didn’t want this day to end. It was a rare day where everything went right—no headaches, no Hinata and Kageyama. 

The cold air outside the comforts of his house condensed into droplets of water on his window while lightpost on the street served as his room’s sole light source. Tsukishima laid on his side with his back preventing the light from hitting (y/n)’s face. 

As if on cue, her lips curled into a smile. It seemed like even sleep wasn’t going to stop his girlfriend from taking him by surprise. Just as he was about to surrender to the night, (y/n)’s arm snaked around his waist. She snuggled into his chest, squirming for a while before humming in content. 

Now, it was his turn to smile.

“I love you.”

She was as warm as he thought she’d be.

**❄❄❄**

“What are you going to do with this? Don’t tell me you’re replacing Mr. Dinosaur?” Followed by a fake gasp, (y/n) placed her hand on her chest. “Mr. Dinosaur and I would be deeply wounded.”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes. “Of course not, I’m buying him a companion.” 

Seeing Tsukishima carry a dinosaur plushie that was half his size had (y/n) grinning from ear-to-ear. As soon as they took a step outside the shop, he shoved a paper bag in her direction. She stared at it for a few moments, unsure on what to do. It had been a long time since he gave her something. 

“What’s this for?” She was about to open the bag, but was stopped by Tsukishima’s hand. “You don’t want me to open it here?”

“Open it when you get home.”

Home? Just where was home? Instead of saying anything else, (y/n) chose to nod her head in agreement. To him, (y/n) was her home, yet after this day, he wouldn’t have a home to return to anymore. An awkward silence reigned over the pair. How stupid was he to give her a gift when this was the last day they’d be together?

“(y/n), I—”

Growl. It seemed as if all the blood in (y/n)’s body rushed to her face. She instinctively covered her stomach, refusing to meet Tsukishima’s eyes.

“Pft.” His badly stifled chuckle made her face redden—if that was still possible. “Let’s get something to eat. My treat.”

Plates full of (y/n)’s favorite food filled the table. Tsukishima gestured for her to start, though (y/n) herself was having a hard time choosing what to eat. Her conflicted expression was enough to make Tsukishima smirk. 

“Just choose anything. I’m not telling you to eat faster, anyway.”

Seeing his lover grip her spoon made Tsukishima gulp. 

**❄❄❄**

October came in the blink of an eye. The Sendai Frogs were training nonstop for almost two weeks now, thus leaving Tsukishima no time to spend with (y/n). Still, the woman made an effort for them to eat together outside.

Red, yellow, and orange leaves fell from the trees. Gray clouds flocked in the sky, which left no space for the sun to shine. The warmth trapped in the restaurant shielded the couple from the cold.

“(y/n), we’re running short of time.” For the nth time that day, Tsukishima glanced at his watch. It had been a full thirty minutes since they had started eating. “I have an appointment to attend to so can you hurry up?”

Due to the fact (y/n) was chewing her food, she was unable to muster a reply. She chose to nod her head, and then returned her attention to the plate of (f/f) in front of her. Her lover could only click his tongue; (y/n) always took an hour to eat her food, even during high school. At the moment, his patience was close to running out.

He couldn’t afford to be late. Not when they had suffered a humiliating defeat from their last match.

“I’m just going to head on.” (y/n) stared at him as he placed a few bills on the table. “You’re taking too long. Shouldn’t you have gotten faster by now?”

“...But this is the first time we’ve been together for a while, Kei. You’re leaving so soon?” Her eyes flickered to the food in front of her. “I missed you.”

Tsukishima stayed silent before heaving a sigh. “I can’t do anything about it, (y/n). We have a match next week and we can’t afford to lose.”

Without saying anything else, Tsukishima left the restaurant. (y/n) could only stare out the window. Once again, he had left her in the cold.

The next time they saw each other, the blond noticed that (y/n) was only eating a small portion of her food. Was she not satisfied with the food in front of her? He had made sure to order her favorites though.

“I’m done eating.” 

Tsukishima furrowed his eyebrows. The (f/f) in her plate wasn’t even half-finished. He glanced at his watch, only to see that he had ten minutes left until his next appointment. (y/n) watched him stand up, and also moved to go along with him.

“You stay here. Finish your food—”

“Like I said, I’m done eating.” She forced herself to flash Tsukishima a smile. “I’m going to see you off, okay? No buts.”

Left without a choice, Tsukishima let himself be accompanied to the train station. During their walk, he cast a few glances at his girlfriend. Somehow, she looked thinner. The bags underneath her eyes became more visible. More or less, she looked drained. Weak. As if she was going to be blown away by the cold wind.

“Go back home.” He didn’t have the time to register what he said. Surprise took over (y/n)’s expression. “You look like you’re about to collapse.”

(y/n) bit the bottom of her lip. Her figure tensed as she clenched her fists. “I _am_ tired, Kei! I just want to spend time with you and relax without having to worry about some appointments or eating faster! Heck, I don’t even need to go to a fancy restaurant with you! Time, just time and affection—are they so hard to give?”

Tsukishima was flabbergasted. It was the first time since high school that (y/n) shouted at him like this. The fact that they were in public wasn’t helpful at all. He could feel the stares from the passersby along with the occasional whispers of “Poor girl” and “What a trashy boyfriend”.

His next course of actions should’ve been obvious. He should’ve wiped the tears trailing down her cheeks, hugged her, and apologized for being the worst boyfriend ever; however, his pride nagged at him: she should’ve been aware of the fact that he was going to be busy, with how they talked about him juggling university and volleyball.

_“Go home, (y/n). Please, you’re embarrassing us.”_

(y/n)’s breath hitched. She turned on her heel and stormed away. Tsukishima held himself in place, breathing heavily. 

How come everything was so tiring?

**❄❄❄**

“Thank you for the food!”

The strawberry shortcake in front of Tsukishima remained untouched. He leaned back on the soft cushion and observed his lover’s movements: how her eyes lit up when she tasted the food and how her lips curled slightly with every bite she took. Just staring at her like this was enough to satiate him.

“Kei, you aren’t eating.” Her voice snapped him out of his trance. “Do you not like the strawberry shortcake here?”

Tsukishima shook his head. “I was busy staring at you.”

His response took (y/n) by surprise. She was quick to regain her composure, proceeding to push a few strands of her hair behind her ear. “Oh? I know I’m beautiful but you should take a picture, it lasts longer.”

How silly. 

Even though he had this thought, Tsukishima proceeded to take out his phone. (y/n)’s eyes widened. He had actually taken her seriously.

“I didn’t know you’d actually do it.” (y/n) showed off her pearly whites and formed a peace sign with her hand. “Peace!”

_Snap._

**❄❄❄**

  
  


“You have a girlfriend, Tsukishima?”

Tsukishima wasn’t aware that getting his lockscreen seen was this embarrassing. It didn’t help that the person who caught him was Kuroo Tetsurou. His question easily got the attention of a certain owl, who raced to their direction from the other side of the room. 

“Tsukki has a girlfriend?! Where?! Show me!”

Akaashi locked eyes with Tsukishima as if to apologize. No matter how hard he tried to get his phone away from Bokuto and Kuroo’s reach, it somehow managed to end up in the rooster head’s hands.

“Woah, what a beauty!”

“You’re really lucky, Tsukishima.” 

Tsukishima heaved a sigh, pushing his glasses up his nose. A smile involuntarily grew on his face as he replied, “Yeah, I know.”

Both Kuroo and Bokuto whipped their heads in his direction. The former even almost dropped his phone. Once they managed to compose themselves, Bokuto bounced up and down while Kuroo smirked at him.

“You lover boy! Come here and help us block!”

**─────────────────────**

_“Seat facing you also last day_ _  
_ _Your beautiful face too last day_ _  
_ _Your delicate voice too last day_ _  
_ _When tonight ends I will send you away”_

**─────────────────────**

“Is there anything you want to do?”

As soon as he asked that question, (y/n) stopped in her tracks and buried herself in her thoughts. Tsukishima merely stared at her, his memories invading his mind once again. Ever since he got into the Sendai Frogs, their dates were always decided by his schedule. He had unknowingly stopped asking for her opinion. 

“Do you remember the lock?”

The blond's lips formed a thin. Of course he did. 

**❄❄❄**

“You actually believe in superstitions like this, (y/n)?”

No matter where Tsukishima looked, there’d always be couples hugging, kissing, or giggling—the PDA was unbearable. On the other hand, his amused lover continued walking towards the bridge, not paying the couples any mind.

“Hmm, not really! But it’s kinda cute, don’t you think?” Dangling from her finger was a (f/c) key. It was the only key that could open the moon-shaped lock in his hands. “Come on, wipe that frown off your face!”

How could he, when people kept bumping into him? As if on cue, a man clearly not paying attention to where he was walking crashed shoulders with him. He even had the nerve to send Tsukishima glare. Tsukishima was more than ready to start a fight, but luckily, (y/n) snapped him back to reality.

“Hey hey, we didn’t come here to get into a cat fight.” She then stood on her toes to whisper to him, “Plus, you wouldn’t want to get scratched by his girlfriend. She has really really long nails.”

True enough, the stranger’s girlfriend had frighteningly long nails. He couldn’t comprehend how she was still able to play with her phone. Tsukishima shuddered, thankful for (y/n)’s interference. 

“Let’s just hurry up so we can leave.”

Locks of various shapes and colors decorated the bridge. To be completely honest, it seemed that there wasn’t any space left for them to place their lock. (y/n) thought otherwise, with how she immediately ushered him to the middle of the bridge. Surprisingly, there was an empty space there.

“Put it there, Kei.” She held up the key before grinning. “I kinda don’t want to throw this away, you know. Is it okay with you if I keep this?”

If it meant that they were going to leave the couple-infested place earlier, then Tsukishima would agree to anything. He wasted no time in clinging the lock around the bridge’s fence. 

“It's done, so can we please leave?” Irritation laced his voice. The amount of people walking left and right on the bridge wasn’t decreasing at all. Tsukishima could feel his impatience rising with each passing second. “Please?”

“Wait, let me take a picture of the lock.”

After a picture and some staring, the couple finally headed to a secluded area. (y/n) watched in amusement as Tsukishima inhaled a mouthful of air. He turned to her with furrowed eyebrows as if asking, “What the heck is so special about a lock?”

Before Tsukishima could actually say something, (y/n) approached him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Superstition or not, I just want to be with you for the rest of my life. If that lock is going to help us even just a bit, then don’t you think it’s worth it?”

By the time the blond had returned to his home, (y/n) sent him a picture of the lock she had taken earlier. In spite of the unpleasant experiences Tsukishima had to go through, the moon-shaped lock with his and (y/n)’s initials made a smile creep up his face. 

He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her too. 

**❄❄❄**

“Do you want to head there?”

When (y/n) took out the (f/c) key from her pocket, Tsukishima’s breath hitched. Was she going to unlock it? Maybe she planned on throwing both the lock and the key into the river? For the rest of their travel to the bridge, which was surprisingly not as crowded as before, he stared into space.

Once again, he was reminded that starting tomorrow, he had to live the rest of his life without her. This would be the last time he’d have the right to hold her hand, to pull her close, to melt himself with her warmth.

“We’re lucky there aren’t many people here, right?” His lover’s attempt at small talk brought him back to reality. “You almost get into a fight every time we come here.”

Tsukishima hummed in response. (y/n) stared at him for a few moments, then fixed her eyes on their view of the river. 

“I heard they were going to take down the locks next month. Seems like the bridge can’t handle them all anymore.” She inhaled a mouthful of air. Her eyes were landing on everywhere but him. “Don’t you think we should throw it away? Spare them the trouble, I mean—”

“—I’ll take them.” His immediate interjection took (y/n) by surprise. “One lock doesn’t change anything. I'd rather throw it away myself.” Tsukishima hated how his voice wavered at the end of his sentence. Even if (y/n) noticed it, she pretended not to and instead giggled.

“Right? I’m kinda glad I didn’t throw the key away.”

Why? Was it because their relationship had fallen apart? Or did she think of the environmental impact the river would suffer? He neither pestered her for an explanation, nor did she continue talking. 

It only took (y/n) a few minutes of searching to find their lock. If someone were to gaze at her intensively, they could see that her hands were trembling. (y/n) was biting the bottom of her lip in an attempt to stop her tears from streaming down her cheeks. In spite of her blurring vision, she managed to remove the lock with ease.

“H-Here.” 

Tsukishima felt the weight of the lock fall in his palm. He stared at it, wanting nothing more than to return it to its rightful position around the railing. “(y/n)... can we start over again?” Shock took over his position as soon as he saw the tears that escaped (y/n)'s eyes.

She locked eyes with him and was quick to shake her head. “I don’t want to be a pushover anymore.” Her answer was blunt. Unforgiving. “A long time ago you asked if I needed you. Haven’t you thought about how you’re the reason why I find the energy to work hard everyday? These past few months, I needed you the most but...”

_Do you even need me?_

It took everything in Tsukishima’s willpower not to stutter. He breathed in—a futile attempt to calm himself. “I… I felt like a burden whenever you comforted me.” Seeing (y/n)’s eyes narrow, he continued his explanation. “If you think about it, it wasn’t odd for me to have thought of that question. You were always the stronger one, the more confident one. I didn’t think I deserved you.”

“Oh my god,” she hissed, “are you seriously pulling that card? Kei, you had more than enough time to make yourself deserve me! Even if you didn’t, I wouldn’t care. At first, you were just that handsome boy I sat in front of and now...” (y/n) pushed her hair back with her fingers. “I can’t believe I’m leaving you.”

Tsukishima was at a loss for words. As always, (y/n) was right. He kept this fact at the back of his mind ever since he entered the V-League. No matter how many texts he received, how many longing stares (y/n) showed him, how many I love you’s they exchanged—he kept on failing as a lover.

“I told you to just dive right into volleyball. Even before we started going out, I knew that you’d never love anyone just as much as you loved volleyball.” Her lips formed a thin line. “Still, I thought we would be okay, we were okay—”

“(y/n)—”

“—but we’ll never be okay! Almost everyone was asking me _‘what happened’_ ? They were looking at me with pity when I tried my best to smile at them.” Choked sobs wracked (y/n)’s body. She was struggling to control her breathing. “I couldn’t even meet up with my friends because I knew they were going to ask about you. I’m tired of making excuses, of making up lies about how loving you _could’ve been_ —”

The sight of (y/n) breaking down in front of him had become blurred with his tears. At that moment, Tsukishima realized that the woman in front of him was merely a shell of her former self. It had dawned on him that he was the one who made her like this.

Their love had murdered her. 

“—I’m tired. We’re over.”

He slowly walked towards her now crouching figure and opened his arms. (y/n) looked up at him, her eyes glaring at him in contempt. 

“If I let you hug me again, I know I’ll never be able to escape from you.” She stood up abruptly, then took a step back. Her tears sparkled underneath the light of the sunset. “Let’s just go. It’ll get dark soon.”

**─────────────────────**

_“Today’s the last day that I might see your face_ _  
_ _Don’t want it to end, but girl I won’t pretend_ _  
_ _‘Cuz I know that we both gotta go our separate ways_ _  
_ _But I still pray_ _  
_ _I’ll able to see you soon with a smile across your face”_

**─────────────────────**

After (y/n)’s outburst, neither of them had dared to speak. They didn’t even hold hands. Only the hues of the setting sun witnessed the couple making their way back towards the city. (y/n)’s tears had finally dried, though Tsukishima wasn’t doing so well in repressing his own grief.

“You must be hungry.” The words were so simple, yet it took every fiber in Tsukishima’s being to say this. His throat felt so dry. It was as if he was physically incapable of speaking. “Let’s head somewhere to eat.”

“No.” His lover’s voice was hoarse. “We look like a wreck. Let’s just eat at a convenience store.”

Not once had Tsukishima thought that his last meal with his lover would be spicy cup noodles and beer. (y/n) proved him wrong, chugging the drink with puffy eyes and a red nose. He stared at his own cup noodles. For once, he didn’t mind waiting for it. Even if they seemed to take a lifetime, he’d wait for them.

As long as his time with (y/n) could be extended, he’d wait for anything.

“You know, you’re really an ass.” Her slurred voice elicited a chuckle from Tsukishima. How could he have forgotten that (y/n) was a lightweight? “I really really loved you, I did. I still do… but you’re such an ass, I hate you.”

He hummed in response. At any moment now, she’d have limited vocabulary. Then she’d slump on the table, whine about everything happening to her, and pass out. 

“And I even made a promise with your mom to marry you.” The sob that left her mouth made Tsukishima’s eyes flicker from his cup noodles to her. “It's so embarrassing that I was so confident in telling her that I’d marry you...” (y/n) bit the bottom of her lip as she felt her tears resurface. “Where did we go wrong, Kei? I just wanted to be with you for the rest of my life and—”

“—I’m sorry,” he murmured. Memories of how excited his mother had been replayed in his mind. Mrs. Tsukishima often teased him, not wasting any time in telling him that she thought (y/n) was the one for him.

But maybe he wasn't the one for her.

All of a sudden, the woman straightened on her seat and slammed her hands on the table. “You better be! I spent my days waiting for you. I put up with you! Yet you even had the nerve to ditch me on our dates.” Her shoulders slumped. “There’s another woman, isn’t there? Please, just tell me the truth.”

Tsukishima shook his head, placing his hand on top of (y/n)’s. She was freezing. “I promise, there’s no other woman. I may be the worst boyfriend, but I’d never cheat on you.” His thumb drew small circles on the back of her hand. “You’re the only one I’ve ever loved, please believe me.”

“Really?” (y/n) looked up at him with hopeful eyes. “I...” She broke out into a grin, her tears finally falling down to the table. “I’m so relieved...”

_I’m the worst._ His grip on (y/n)’s hand tightened. Although these kinds of thoughts haunted her, (y/n) rarely cried in front of him. At most, she’ll stare at him with a blank face. It was the same way she stared at him before they started dating.

“We should eat now. It’s getting late.” _Plus, we’re not going to return to the same home anymore._ Tsukishima stood up from his seat. “I’ll buy you a bottle of water so just stay there and wait, okay?”

By the time Tsukishima returned to their table outside, (y/n) had already started eating. Her eyes were tired and as puffy as ever, courtesy of her repeatedly bursting into tears since this afternoon. She merely nodded at him when he slid the water bottle towards her.

“Thank you for the food.”

The spiciness of the cup noodles was enough to vanquish Tsukishima's clouded thoughts. He and (y/n) ate together in silence; though this time, they didn’t choose to utter a word in favor of not ruining the peace they had.

As soon as they finished eating, both of them didn’t waste any time in leaving their table. Tsukishima checked his watch to see that it was already 10 PM. Judging by how (y/n) was slightly staggering, he couldn’t prolong this date any longer. He no longer had any right to bring her to his condo and wake up beside her the next morning.

(y/n) herself was aware of this as well. No words were exchanged even as the two of them got into the train. Thankfully, the train wasn’t crowded. In fact, there were quite few people despite the current date. 

“Kei, it’s snowing.”

Excitement sparkled in (y/n)’s eyes as she craned her head to peek out the window. Tsukishima followed suit, eyes widening slightly at the white rain dancing in the air. People often believe that the first snow is a sign of love. That whoever you were with would stay with you for a lifetime. 

How ironic, considering that this snow would be their last. Tsukishima gripped the moon-shaped lock buried in his pocket. Even the winters and padlocks of love weren’t able to keep them together. Both of these proved useless when facing an inattentive lover. 

If he had just spared one more glance at her, spent one more minute eating with her, and said just one more “I love you”—would they have been at Miyagi right now, eating a warm meal with his mother? Talking about marriage?

“You have arrived at...”

(y/n) rushed out of the train at record speed while Tsukishima was left to heave a sigh. At the very least, his lover’s fondness for snow wouldn't change. She’d still go outside, no matter how cold it was, and stare at the winter rain.

The sight of (y/n) surrounded by the snow was nothing short of ethereal. She held out her hand, staring intently at the snowflakes that melted on her palm. Although her nose was red, her eyes were no longer as puffy as they had been earlier. For the first time since their date started, she looked genuinely happy.

“Kei! Look at the snow!”

(y/n) grabbed his hand and pulled him closer to her. She then pointed to the skies, grinning from ear-to-ear. On the other hand, Tsukishima was too busy staring at her. There it was, the warmth he longed for—the warmth he fell in love with.

“Aren't they pretty?” Her eyes were still fixated on the skies. 

“Yes, absolutely breathtaking.” It seemed that his comment came off as strange. (y/n) knew he didn’t have the same level of enthusiasm for snow like her, so she looked at him only to see that he was staring at her. 

“You—”

“—What?” Tsukishima raised an eyebrow at her.

“Look at the snow too, silly.” 

He shook his head. “I don’t want to.” After all, he had always looked at her whenever she was too focused with the first snow.

**❄❄❄**

“You’re sick and you say you want to go outside to look at the snow?” Tsukishima ruffled his hair. It wasn’t that much of a surprise that (y/n) had gotten sick. He was aware that she stayed up all night to cram on the exam coverage. 

Despite looking like an absolute wreck, (y/n) had the nerve to nod her head. “Yeah. I never want to miss the first snow with you, Kei.” Her voice was hoarse, probably due to the constant coughing fits she had. 

“No. If you want to look at the snow, look through the window. I’ll be by your side, so you don’t need to go out.” The pout that settled on (y/n)’s lips made him let out a sigh. “That’s not going to work. Not this time, at least. You’ll be whining about how you can’t visit the shrine with me if you’re still sick by New Years’.” 

In her attempt to reply, (y/n) pressed her hand to her throat. Like Tsukishima expected, she still had a hard time talking. 

“You’re not going outside. That’s final.”

That was what Tsukishima thought; however, when he woke up in the middle of the night, he was surprised to see that (y/n) wasn’t sleeping in her bed. He quickly walked towards the window, scowling at an underdressed (y/n). Although he expected this, he at least thought she was smart enough to wear a coat. But no. (y/n) just had to settle with a thin shawl.

Tsukishima grabbed the blanket from (y/n)’s bed and made his way outside. Unlike (y/n), who was too mesmerized by the snow to notice him, he paid no mind to the winter rain. (y/n) almost shrieked when the material of her blanket came into contact with her skin. 

“Kei.” Not an ounce of guilt was present in her expression. “It’s a good thing you’re awake. I wasn’t really sure whether to wake you up.” She let out a giggle upon seeing Tsukishima’s displeased face. 

“Yeah, if I weren’t here, you would’ve turned into ice.”

(y/n) looked at him with mock offense. “Really? But you told me before that I was always hot.” The wink she sent Tsukishima effectively silenced his snarkiness. “You told me you loved me because I’m always warm.”

The blond had no choice but to nod his head. “But it’s true.”

**❄❄❄**

The walk back to (y/n)’s condo was tranquil. Except for their breaths and the crunching snow, everything else was silent. Normally, Tsukishima wouldn’t want to be outside on a chilling evening; however, nothing about this day was normal. His bare hand enclosed (y/n)’s, her warmth seeping through his numb palm. 

“Kei?” Tsukishima averted his attention to (y/n). “I had fun today. I’m glad I could make a good memory with you before you know...” She flashed him a smile, bright enough to make him reflect it. “I also got some things off my chest.”

He tightened his grip on her hand, humming in response. “It’s the least I could do for being such a shitty boyfriend.” _It’s the least he could do before he had to let her go._ “I never expected you to get drunk, though.”

“I never thought I’d get drunk on my last date with you as well! I’m kinda sober now, don’t worry.” (y/n) cast a glance at their intertwined hands. “Are you sure you want to send me home?”

Tsukishima raised an eyebrow at her. “I’m not cruel enough to send my girlfriend home alone at night.”

“Oh, what a gentleman. It’s such an honor.”

The familiar pathway leading to (y/n)’s condo entered the couple’s line of vision. In an attempt to compose himself, Tsukishima inhaled a mouthful of air. Tears stung his eyes, which came along with an all-too-familiar ache in his heart. He didn’t want to let her go. He wanted (y/n) to stay with him.

Nevertheless, the memory of her falling apart due to his negligence kept replaying itself in his mind. Tsukishima never wanted her to feel that way again.

“We’re here.”

His breath hitched. (y/n) turned her body in his direction and let go of his hand. The smile on her face didn’t waver, though anyone could tell it was forced. Just when her eyes had finally gone back to normal, tears once again welled up in them.

“I suppose it’s goodbye now, Kei. I’m really lucky that I got a handsome boyfriend like you.” Her attempt to joke only made Tsukishima’s eyes sting more unbearable. “I think I’m going to have a hard time for a while, but I’m sure we’ll make it by ourselves.”

“(y/n)...” Tsukishima stared straight into (y/n)’s eyes. Desperation laced his voice, and he had no intention on hiding it anymore. “Is there really no other way to resolve this? I—I can’t imagine life without you.”

Bits of snow on the ground melted along with (y/n)’s tears. Sobs wracked her body as she gripped the scarf protecting her neck from the cold. “Kei, you know that we can’t be together anymore. We’ll only destroy each other.” She removed the cloth around her neck before standing on the tips of her toes. “We can still be friends, though not so soon. Let’s give each other time, shall we?”

The messily wrapped scarf around his neck did nothing to protect Tsukishima from the cold winter. His eyes flickered to the ground, refusing to meet (y/n)’s own (e/c) ones. He refused to cry in front of her because this time, she wouldn’t be able to comfort him.

They wouldn’t be able to be at peace in each other’s embrace. 

(y/f/n) was the only one who could put up with Tsukishima Kei, and she was leaving—leaving without an “I love you”, leaving without a hug that always succeeded in bringing Tsukishima back to life.

“Bye, Kei. Stay safe, okay? Also, make sure not to push yourself too hard. Tadashi’s too busy to take care of you.” With a turn of her heel, (y/n) walked towards the tall building a few meters away from them. Meanwhile, every fiber of Tsukishima’s being was screaming at him not to let her go.

_Move, please, move._

Even in matches, Tsukishima had never run so fast before. Just as (y/n) was about to enter the building, he grabbed her by the wrist. Although (y/n) stopped in her tracks, she didn’t face him. She gritted her teeth and clenched her free hand until her knuckles turned white.

_Don’t go back. Don’t face him._

“I’m not going to tell you to stay with me, but please, don’t pretend as if _we_ didn’t exist.” He took the scarf around his neck, removed it, and gently wrapped it around (y/n)’s neck. “I’ll send you your things tomorrow.” (y/n), who still hadn’t turned around, remained silent. _“I love you.”_

There. He had said it. Tsukishima gazed at (y/n) for a few moments. Upon seeing that she had no intention to face him, he heaved a sigh and decided to make his way home. One step. Two steps. Three steps were enough to make him move faster.

Tsukishima Kei and (y/f/n) were no more. Now, they were just people who used to study in the same high school. They were just people who were in love for a few years until their love decided to kill them. Starting tomorrow, they’d have to spend their lives putting their history behind their backs.

_“Kei, I love you too!”_

The feeling of (y/n)’s head crashing against his back shouldn’t have made him happy. It should’ve hurt. Regardless of that, the tears that he had suppressed had finally streamed down his cheeks. He couldn’t endure it anymore.

And he had the nerve to tell himself he wouldn’t cry.

A dry chuckle left his lips. “You always tell me you love me before I leave.” (y/n) hummed in response, burying her head deeper into the fabric of his coat.

“You noticed. Of course you’d notice. Goodbye, Kei.”

Tsukishima wished that time would stop there and then. The harsh reality slapped him in the face as soon as the warmth of (y/n)’s arms disappeared from his waist. The sound of the crunching snow could be heard along with a few whimpers. After a few seconds, the blond turned around to see (y/n)’s figure disappearing into the building.

With that, the only person who could put up with Tsukishima Kei disappeared. The person he abhorred, the only one he fell in love with—she had left his grasp.

**─────────────────────**

_“The hazy memories with you become clearer_ _  
_ _Your away appearance also end_  
_The hazy memories with you become clearer_ _  
_ Your away appearance also end”

**─────────────────────**

Tsukishima glanced at his phone screen for the nth time that morning. He had remained in his position on his bed, still unable to process the contents of the message. No tears left his eyes, yet the gaping hole in his heart seemed to have grown larger.

**“Please join us to celebrate Miya Osamu and (y/f/n)’s wedding! Other details will be announced on a later date! Have a good day!”**

**❄❄❄**

**EXTRA:**

At the very back of an old wardrobe sat a miniature dinosaur and a green scarf—both of them hidden, though not forgotten.


End file.
